When Kentucky Derby winner Orb takes on his rivals in the Preakness Stakes on May 18, he'll encounter a foe he's never raced—at least not officially. Orb's biggest roadblock in his quest for the second jewel of the Triple Crown is Illinois Derby winner Departing, a homebred gelding co-owned by Claiborne Farm.

The two 3-year-olds took separate paths toward the starting gate at Pimlico. Orb began his career at Saratoga and went on to Gulfstream Park, while Departing kicked off his career at the Fair Grounds.

But both began their lives in the same Kentucky fields.

Orb is owned by the Phipps and Janney families, longtime Claiborne clients. Orb and Departing were both brought up at Claiborne.

In fact, they spent months in the same paddock. The results of those unofficial races they surely contested as youngsters are long lost with time, but the scene at Pimlico might look familiar to those who raised them as foals.

Orb could be headed back to those fields months or years from now. The Phipps and Janneys have long sent their top broodmares and stallions to Claiborne when their racing days are over.

He will almost certainly retire to Claiborne too, perhaps even in the same stall that once housed his grandsire Unbridled, along with former Shug McGaughey trainee Easy Goer, Secretariat and Bold Ruler.

As for Departing, trainer Al Stall and Claiborne owner Seth Hancock are planning on a long racing career for him under the Claiborne colors. It's one reason Departing skipped the Kentucky Derby after finishing third in the Louisiana Derby.

"Seth Hancock has not had Derby fever and he will never have Derby fever," Stall said on a teleconference Thursday. "We're looking for longevity out of him. ... We're just trying to do what's right by the horse."

The connections of the potential Preakness starters seem unfazed by the coincidence that has had the racing world buzzing. Perhaps that's because they've already been there before.

McGaughey, Orb's trainer, also conditioned Seeking the Gold, who was born in the same 1985 crop as Claiborne homebred Forty Niner. The two horses also grew up in the same fields before beginning their racing careers and later became rivals on the racetrack.

They stood stud at Claiborne together until 1995, when Forty Niner was sold to a Japan breeding operation.

Stall has a long history and a healthy dose of respect for McGaughey, the Phipps and the Janneys. When Orb won the Kentucky Derby, there weren't many people happier than Stall.

"I was happy to see them get their just desserts," he said. "They're great people."

But the entwined connections didn't give Stall or Claiborne owner Seth Hancock pause when the decision was made to run Departing in the Preakness.

"We always had the Preakness in mind," Stall said. "It was kind of obvious that we were pointing in that direction.

"Obviously if we can’t win we’d certainly love to see Orb go down the road as a potential Triple Crown winner. ... but we feel very good about our animal."

Orb may be considered the horse to beat in the Preakness, but McGaughey won't breathe easy until the race is in the books. He admitted on the teleconference that he feels more nervous about this race than he did about the Derby.

McGaughey said he can breathe easier when the Preakness is over and they can take Orb back to his home base at Belmont Park.

"If we make it through this one and get to Belmont, we're going to be home and he'll be in his own stall," he said. "I think that's a big plus."

Bring on Departing, he said.

"Departing is a very worthy participant in the Preakness," he said. "He's a pretty darn nice horse."